Spear Head (Paperback)

SPEAR HEAD A Novel by JOHN BROPHY Publishers HARPER BROTHERS New York ana London CONTENTS PTER i. Masculine Society i 2. The Billet 16 3. Sorts and Sizes 22 4. The Rope and the Rock 32 5. In the Corridor 47 6 The Fiord 57 7. Looking Down on Torgsdal 64 8. Tyn Rzdge 78 9. Southward Bound 86 10, No Answers in the Mirror 96 n. Enigmas After Dinner in 12. Men and Boys 124 13. Moonlight Madness 133 14. Conversation Over Coffee 148 15. Beside the Weir 160 1 6. Disclosures 175 17, Colonels Address 185 1 8. T ie Avenue 196 19. Cross-Roads at Le Bandolet 211 20 T 0 Trap 217 21. On the Jetty 226 22. Overlooking Hyde Park 235 23. I7i0 Caw 244 24. Otrf of Camp 253 25. T e Sandbank 262 26. Ttw Telephones 273 7350473 K S Ctf v ra rC iUS SPEARHEAD CHAPTER 1 Masculine Society SPRING came late in this northern county, and at twelve minutes to nine on a morning in March daybreak was scarcely complete. Rainclouds screened and darkened the visible world, only here and there rifted by a pallid diffusion of light. The sky seemed to sag low across the narrow valley and the long intermingling slopes and buttresses of the foothills. Further away, where the high fells shouldered upward, devoid of trees, intersected by straggling walls built of unshaped grey stones, the clouds merged into coursing mountain mist which sliced off peaks and crests, and, paler, smoke-like, came spreading and wavering down the passes. The wind blew wet and gusty and cold. Rain had fallen all night and the short grass and the turf was soggy underfoot. Two cars, camouflaged in patternings of dull green and tawny paint which, more readily than number plates and formation symbols, indicated their military status, moved swiftly along thelargest of the valleys and then forked to the right up a rougher road till they stopped on a hill crest. Eight passengers emerged and stood by the roadside, carefully avoiding the muddy puddles. Only one was a civilian, a broad-shouldered oldish man, in a dark overcoat, who wore rubber Wellington boots to protect his feet He turned up the collar of his coat till it touched the brim of his soft felt hat and then, hands in pockets, moved a few yards away, stamping his feet and looking around with some curiosity, although there was nothing in sight except the mist-shrouded hills, the drivers sitting at the wheels of the cars, and the seven officers who were talking earnestly together in a small group. One belonged to the Navy he had a white silk 2 SPEARHEAD muffler at his throat, vivid against the blue cloth of his uniform and the gold leaf thickly encrusted on the peak of his cap. Another was an airman, very tall and elegant in paler blue. The remaining five were Army officers, with scarlet cloth encircling their caps and tabbed on the lapels of their greatcoats. They all wore riding-boots of highly polished brown leather. The three staff officers held back politely from the centre of the group where the two generals conferred. If the map reference is right said one general, were here The map reference is correct enough. Pin-pointed. The question is where the devil have these chaps got to The lieutenant-general stared round under the peak of his cap at the desolate landscape. No cover for miles he observed. Except that valley. Better have a look-see. The other general turned to his staff officer and with a nod indicated that he should investigate where, two hundred yards off the road, theturf sloped up to a natural rampart and then fell away into a narrow valley, the far side of which was just discernible in the cloud-darkened morning light. But at this moment the civilian in the rubber boots took one hand from his pocket and pointed...

General

Imprint:	Read Books
Country of origin:	United Kingdom
Release date:	March 2007
First published:	March 2007
Authors:	John Brophy
Dimensions:	216 x 140 x 16mm (L x W x T)
Format:	Paperback - Trade
Pages:	284
ISBN-13:	978-1-4067-7103-9
Categories:	Books > Humanities > History > General Books > History > General
LSN:	1-4067-7103-1
Barcode:	9781406771039

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